The utility of contemporary and historical estimates of dispersal in determining response to habitat fragmentation in a tropical forest-dependent bird community

It is often assumed that species which exhibit a greater propensity for dispersal are less susceptible to the impacts of habitat fragmentation; however, a growing body of literature suggests that such generalizations should be carefully evaluated as not all species appear to be equally sensitive to fragmentation. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Callens et al. (2011) take an innovative approach to compare contemporary estimates of dispersal from an extensive mark-recapture and patch occupancy data set with historical estimates derived from multilocus population genetic models for seven sympatric forest-dependent species in the Taita Hills, Africa. As has been observed for forest-dependent species from the Amazon, populations of sedentary species were more strongly differentiated and clustered when compared to those of more dispersive taxa. The most intriguing result recovered though, was that the five species with similar historical estimates of gene flow (dispersal) differed substantially in their contemporary dispersal rates, suggesting that for some species the propensity for dispersal has decreased over time. As a consequence, the authors suggest that post-fragmentation estimates of dispersal on their own may not be the best predictors of how habitat fragmentation could affect forest-dependent animal communities.This work significantly advances our understanding of the dynamics of habitat fragmentation and makes a strong case for the need to integrate data on historical processes with contemporary data.     

广东揭阳农田坡地鸟类及其对高压输电线路的影响

在2009年6月-2010年4月,采用样线法对广东揭阳地区4条高压输电线路及其经过的农田坡地鸟类进行了5次调查.共记录鸟类73种,其中记录停在高压输电线上的鸟类43种.结果表明:高压输电线上的鸟类与农田坡地鸟类的相似性较高;麻雀(Passer montanus)和金腰燕(Hirundo daurica)是高压输电线路和农田坡地鸟类的优势种;虽然非繁殖季节记录到的鸟类种类和个体数量多于繁殖季节,但繁殖季节高压输电线出现故障次数较多,其原因是鸟类在铁塔上筑巢、粪便和巢材滑落引起故障;在揭阳地区,黑领椋鸟( Gracupica nigricollis)常在高压输电线路的铁塔上筑巢繁殖,是造成当地高压输电网故障的主要鸟种.     

A diversified vertebrate ichnite fauna from the Dasheng Group (Lower Cretaceous) of southeast Shandong Province,China

The Qingquan dinosaur tracksite, from the Lower Cretaceous Dasheng Group, Shandong Province, China adds to the growing record of saurischian-dominated ichnofaunas of the region. The site reveals the presence of avian theropods (Koreanaornis) and non-avian theropods tentatively referred to Jialingpus. Sauropod tracks are referred to Brontopodus. One site shows evidence of extensive trampling attributable to sauropods and theropods that moved in the same westerly direction, though not necessarily at exactly the same time. This site is reminiscent of the famous Davenport Ranch site in Texas which has provoked much debate about the herding behavior of sauropods as a defense strategy against theropod predators.     

Where the wild birds go: explaining the differences in migratory destinations across terrestrial bird species

Given their large movement capacities, migratory birds have in principle a wide range of possible geographical locations for their breeding and non‐breeding destinations, yet each species migrates between consistent breeding and non‐breeding ranges. In this study, we use a macroecological approach to search for the general factors explaining the location of the seasonal ranges of migratory bird species across the globe. We develop a null model to test the hypotheses that access to resources, geographical distance, tracking of temperature, and habitat conditions (separately as well as considered together) have a major influence in the location of species’ migratory destinations, once each species’ geographical constraints are taken into account. Our results provide evidence for a trade‐off between costs associated with distance travelled and gains in terms of better access to resources. We also provide strong support to the hypotheses that all factors tested, with the exception of habitat, have a strong and additive effect on the global geography of bird migration. Indeed, our results indicate that species’ contemporary migratory destinations (i.e. the combination of their breeding and non‐breeding ranges) are such that they allow species to track a temperature regime throughout the year, to escape local competition and reach areas with better access to resources, and to minimise the spatial distance travelled, within the limitations imposed by the geographical location of each species. Our study thus sheds light on the mechanisms underpinning bird migration and provides a strong basis for predicting how migratory species will respond to future change.     

Environmental effects on flying migrants revealed by radar

Migratory animals are affected by various factors during their journeys, and the study of animal movement by radars has been instrumental in revealing key influences of the environment on flying migrants. Radars enable the simultaneous tracking of many individuals of almost all sizes within the radar range during day and night, and under low visibility conditions. We review how atmospheric conditions, geographic features and human development affect the behavior of migrating insects and birds as recorded by radars. We focus on flight initiation and termination, as well as in‐flight behavior that includes changes in animal flight direction, speed and altitude. We have identified several similarities and differences in the behavioral responses of aerial migrants including an overlooked similarity in the use of thermal updrafts by very small (e.g. aphids) and very large (e.g. vultures) migrants. We propose that many aerial migrants modulate their migratory flights in relation to the interaction between atmospheric conditions and geographic features. For example, aerial migrants that encounter crosswind may terminate their flight or continue their migration and may also drift or compensate for lateral displacement depending on their position (over land, near the coast or over sea). We propose several promising directions for future research, including the development and application of algorithms for tracking insects, bats and large aggregations of animals using weather radars. Additionally, an important contribution will be the spatial expansion of aeroecological radar studies to Africa, most of Asia and South America where no such studies have been undertaken. Quantifying the role of migrants in ecosystems and specifically estimating the number of departing birds from stopover sites using low‐elevation radar scans is important for quantifying migrant–habitat relationships. This information, together with estimates of population demographics and migrant abundance, can help resolve the long‐term dynamics of migrant populations facing large‐scale environmental changes.     

Fruit consumption in migratory passerines is limited by water ingestion rather than by body water balance

Many insectivorous passerines become frugivorous during migration. Because water may facilitate the digestion of dry fruits, some passerines may benefit from staging in stopover sites that offer access to drinking water. In autumn, water consumption by blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla staging in Israel was found to induce a shift from insectivory to frugivory. We tested two alternative hypotheses concerning the mechanism facilitating consumption of the relatively dry fruits which are common in this region: 1) water intake facilitates the passage of fruits within the digestive tract when these two resources are simultaneously ingested, and 2) improved body water balance allows the consumption and ingestion of large amounts of dry fruits. Blackcaps were subjected to five treatments that included temporal separation of water and fruit consumption, as well as subcutaneous water injection to maintain balanced body water in water‐deprived birds. Fruit consumption rate was measured daily. We found that only simultaneous provisioning of water and fruits significantly increased fruit consumption rate, implying that drinking water directly improves fruit digestion within the digestive system. Furthermore, the fuel deposition rate increased with increased fruit consumption rate. These results emphasize the importance of water availability for the ecology and conservation of migrating passerines.     

Large and irregular population fluctuations in migratory Pacific (Calidris alpina pacifica) and Atlantic (C. a. hudsonica) dunlins are driven by density-dependence and climatic factors

Understanding the forces driving population dynamics is critical for species conservation and population management. For migratory birds, factors that regulate population abundance could come from effects experienced on breeding areas, wintering grounds, or during migration. We compiled survey data for Pacific and Atlantic subspecies of dunlins (Calidris alpina pacifica and C. a. hudsonica) from range-wide Christmas bird counts (1975–2010), and investigated the influences on this population index of density-dependence, falcon numbers, a set of seasonal environmental conditions during breeding, migration and non-breeding periods, and large-scale meteorological measures. For both sub-species, numbers fluctuated irregularly, varying threefold over the survey period, with no long-term upward or downward trend. Based on Royama's general model framework, the change in numbers between successive years for both sub-species was negatively affected by the total count in the previous year (i.e., negative density-dependence) and by the eastward component of storm movement during fall migration, with slower motion associated with higher population growth. The remaining environmental factors differed between the sub-species (snowmelt date on the Pacific, temperature on the Atlantic) or acted in opposite directions (soil moisture). The directional effects of each of these factors are consistent with the biology of dunlin, and together they explain 67.4 (72.9 %) of the variation in the rate of change of Pacific (Atlantic) dunlin annual counts. Falcon numbers were not predictive, despite a tenfold increase in abundance, suggesting compensatory mortality. This study highlights directions for future studies, and provides a model for the analysis of other migratory species.     

Ecosystem recharge by volcanic dust drives broad‐scale variation in bird abundance

Across the globe, deserts and volcanic eruptions produce large volumes of atmospheric dust, and the amount of dust is predicted to increase with global warming. The effects of long‐distance airborne dust inputs on ecosystem productivity are potentially far‐reaching but have primarily been measured in soil and plants. Airborne dust could also drive distribution and abundance at higher trophic levels, but opportunities to explore these relationships are rare. Here we use Iceland's steep dust deposition gradients to assess the influence of dust on the distribution and abundance of internationally important ground‐nesting bird populations. Surveys of the abundance of breeding birds at 729 locations throughout lowland Iceland were used to explore the influence of dust deposition on bird abundance in agricultural, dry, and wet habitats. Dust deposition had a strong positive effect on bird abundance across Iceland in dry and wet habitats, but not in agricultural land where nutrient levels are managed. The abundance of breeding waders, the dominant group of terrestrial birds in Iceland, tripled on average between the lowest and highest dust deposition classes in both wet and dry habitats. The deposition and redistribution of volcanic materials can have powerful impacts in terrestrial ecosystems and can be a major driver of the abundance of higher trophic‐level organisms at broad spatial scales. The impacts of volcanic ash deposition during eruptions and subsequent redistribution of unstable volcanic materials are strong enough to override effects of underlying variation in organic matter and clay content on ecosystem fertility. Global rates of atmospheric dust deposition are likely to increase with increasing desertification and glacier retreat, and this study demonstrates that the effects on ecosystems are likely to be far‐reaching, both in terms of spatial scales and ecosystem components.